Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

thermite

noun

/ˈθɜːrmaɪt/

Definition

A mixture of metal powder and metal oxide that produces intense heat and light when ignited, used primarily for welding and cutting metals.

Examples

The construction team used thermite to weld the rail tracks together.
In a science demonstration, the students created a small thermite reaction to illustrate an exothermic process.
Thermite is often used in the military for destroying equipment due to its high-temperature capabilities.

Meaning

Thermite refers to a chemical reaction involving aluminum and a metal oxide, such as iron oxide, which generates a large amount of heat, resulting in a molten metal.